For ordinary people, practicing the Turtle Breath Technique is a drain on energy and time.
However, for Su Changkong, whether a cultivation technique is powerful or not isn't important; what he values the most is health preservation—the ability to extend life!
The longer the lifespan, the stronger Su Changkong's potential and talent become. He needs to make every possible effort to extend his life, and this Turtle Breath Technique can be said to be extremely suitable for Su Changkong!
Zhao Bufan saw the lack of interest amongst the crowd below; he also felt somewhat helpless, as in reality, this Turtle Breath Technique had been acquired from a down-and-out vagrant at a low price by the Zhao Family.
There were members of the Zhao Family who had practiced the Turtle Breath Technique. Although it was a form of Inner Strength, cultivating it was extremely slow, and just generating a sense of Qi was already extremely difficult, not to mention producing True Qi was as hard as ascending to the heavens!
At least no one in the Zhao Family deeply studied the Turtle Breath Technique to the point of producing True Qi.
"The Turtle Breath Technique, starting bid 100 taels of silver."
Zhao Bufan began the auction for this Turtle Breath Technique manual, with a starting bid of 100 taels, which was quite cheap among all the items offered today.
Silence, no one in the audience made a bid.
The previously mentioned Yan Song also wore an expressionless face.
For Inner Strength cultivation techniques like the Red Fire Skill, which were quite extraordinary, Yan Song was willing to spend a thousand taels of silver to purchase, but as for this Turtle Breath Technique, practicing it would be a pure waste of time and energy. Even if it were given to Yan Song for free, he wouldn't bother to practice it, let alone spend money to buy it!
"Could this really end up with no bids?" With no one responding, Zhao Bufan secretly felt somewhat embarrassed.
"I bid 101 taels."
Just as Zhao Bufan was reluctantly preparing to announce the Turtle Breath Technique as having no bids, a deep voice sounded.
The speaker was naturally Su Changkong, wearing a monkey mask and with his hair disheveled.
With someone making a bid, Zhao Bufan's heart leaped with joy, and he quickly said, "Guest in seat number 27 bids 101 taels, does anyone else wish to bid?"
Su Changkong sat still in his chair, his heart slightly uneasy. If someone were to compete with him, not only would he have to spend more money, but he might also not be able to afford the opposing bid, considering his modest capital of only a hundred and fifty taels of silver.
However, Su Changkong was purely overthinking it, as the rest of the people had very little interest in this Turtle Breath Technique.
"Congratulations to guest number 27 for acquiring the Turtle Breath Technique Secret Manual!"
Seeing that no one else was bidding, Zhao Bufan could only announce that Su Changkong had won the bid for the Turtle Breath Technique.
The Turtle Breath Technique, with a starting price of 100 taels, was acquired by Su Changkong for 101 taels!
Su Changkong stepped up and paid a silver note of 101 taels of silver, taking the Turtle Breath Technique Secret Manual from Zhao Bufan's hands.
"This Turtle Breath Technique is perhaps more valuable to me than that Red Fire Skill!"
Su Changkong placed the manual into his bosom, his heart secretly thrilled.
The Biomimetic Qi Skill, the Turtle Breath Technique, might be far inferior to the fierce and domineering Red Fire Skill in the eyes of others, but for Su Changkong, what suits him best is the best!
"This auction is now concluded. Thank you all esteemed guests for your support. Our Zhao Family has prepared a sumptuous feast, and we hope all esteemed guests will honor us with your presence."
Soon after, the auction ended, and Zhao Bufan expressed his sincere gratitude with thanks.
"Young Master Zhao, I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
Some favored guests stayed behind for lunch, while others bid farewell and departed.
Su Changkong, wearing a mask to conceal his identity, feared being targeted and naturally did not stay for the meal. He rose and headed towards the exit of Zhao Mansion, where he got his entrance fee of 5 taels of silver refunded by a Zhao Family disciple.
Outside Zhao Mansion, Su Changkong saw that same masked man in black with a fox face, who had won the "Red Fire Skill" for 1200 taels of silver, heading out of Dongling Town, while Yan Song, in black with narrow eyes, followed behind him, expressionless and from a distance.
"Yan Song is unwilling to give up the Red Fire Skill. There's likely to be a bloody conflict between the two. Yan Song, who makes a living accepting bounties, is a skilled Blade Catcher. As for the man in the fox mask, anyone who can spend over a thousand taels of silver for the Red Fire Skill is certainly no ordinary person. I'd better keep my distance."
Having seen this, Su Changkong understood that Yan Song was probably not willing to swallow his pride and had designs on the Red Fire Skill the man with the fox mask carried.
With the two of them at odds, a fierce fight was likely. However, Su Changkong had no intention of following to reap the benefits of their confrontation. Should the two reach an agreement and discover Su Changkong, a third party, they might even join forces against him, which would be dangerous!
The Red Fire Skill was not an absolute must for Su Changkong, and taking a risk for it was not worthwhile!
"Let's go, leave first."
With that thought, Su Changkong headed in the opposite direction of Yan Song and the man in the fox mask.
Having left Dongling Town by three or four miles, a trace of coldness emerged on Su Changkong's face beneath his ape mask, and he slightly frowned, slowing down and turning to look behind him.
Three masked men were following him, unhurriedly but consistently.
"Gentlemen, is there any advice you have been following me to give?"
Su Changkong asked.
These three men, masked, had been following him ever since he left the Zhao residence and Dongling Town, clearly with ill intentions.
The man in the middle wearing a pig mask let out a strange laugh and said, "You spent a hundred taels of silver at Zhao Mansion to buy the Turtle Breath Technique. It seems you're no lightweight! I've been short on cash lately, and I just love plump sheep like you!"
It was clear that Su Changkong's purchase of the Turtle Breath Technique at the Zhao Mansion auction had been noted by these three, and their pursuit had an obvious motive.
Su Changkong was somewhat speechless; was he really a target just for this?
He couldn't help but say, "I only bought a copy of the Turtle Breath Technique, while the man with the fox mask spent more than a thousand taels on the Red Fire Skill. Why don't you rob him instead of going after me?"
He had merely spent 100 taels on the Turtle Breath Technique, whereas someone else in the auction had splurged a fortune. Instead of going after the bigger catch, they targeted him?
The man with the pig mask chuckled strangely and said, "The man who spent over a thousand taels of silver on the Red Fire Skill is no ordinary person, and with Yan Song after him, we three brothers don't fancy getting killed. You, on the other hand, spent a lot on a Turtle Breath Technique, looking like a rich simpleton, ripe for the plucking. If not you, then who?"
Both the man with the fox mask and Yan Song were complicated characters. Tempting fate with them was likely a death sentence. As for Su Changkong, spending so much on a seemingly trivial Turtle Breath Technique suggested he was someone without much insight but with wealth, and without guards in tow, he would not be a difficult character to handle. After a quick discussion, the three brothers had chosen Su Changkong as their target and had been following him since then.
"Are you interested in the Turtle Breath Technique? That's easily settled. I can make a copy of the Turtle Breath Technique for you, so that everyone can gain without loss. It's good for business if we all remain on friendly terms. If you feel uncomfortable about it, giving me a few taels of silver each as a token would be fine too."
Su Changkong made this very sincere proposal.
The Turtle Breath Technique was not some precious and invaluable Cultivation Technique.
Martial Arts Secret Manuals, even if given to others, did not actually result in any loss to the original owner. Since these people were interested in the Turtle Breath Technique, making a few copies to sell to them would also help recover some of the cost of purchasing the manual. It would be a win-win situation!